Angel of Death and Mercy
by Kujata
Summary: Not everything is as it seems. Kuja is not an evil mastermind, but only a puppet following orders, can his will defeat that of his masters?
1. A Master's Will

A/N: This is off of FFIX, but it doesn't quite follow its orignal path, so just bare with me. Slight spoilers for those that haven't beaten the game. Sorry, my spell checker is down so give me a slight break.

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**Chapter One:**

**A Master's Will**

"Another dawn which leads to another day, and soon the moon shall fall, leaving us all in utter darkness," so were the words of my master.

I stood on my master's airship watching the sun fall behind the horizon; the fragrance of night just beginning to dawn on me, pondering his chosen words. He would often give me a riddle to try and solve, ones that had no meaning behind them at all. He believed I had nothing better to do, no other way in which to serve him.

"Come, Kuja, we have better things to do then waste our time staring into nothingness."

"Yes, my master." It was always '_yes, my master_,' as if I had no will of my own, no other desired path.

"Do you know our goal today?" he asked me.

"It… is what your will desires, master."

"Well then, my will desires an attack on Alexandria. To eradicate the only thing holding the Princess, your canary, down. She must understand that her mother isn't entirly… herself." He smiled then, one of utmost malice.

_My… canary?_

"The Princess will see just how mad her mother has become, how… battle craved."

We then stood in silence, I watching the sunset, my master plotting the Queens demise.

"Get inside before you get sick again," my master ordered.

I followed silently behind him back into the airship. He walked into the control room where some of the little black monsters my master had ordered me to create stood working. I walked in right behind him, my head down.

"Your job will be stalling those vermin and his so called 'friends'. If your canary is there, then be gentle with her, I don't care what you do to the others."

"What about Zidane, master?"

"Kill him."

"Master?"

_Do my ears deceive me?_

"I do not wish to hear anything from you until we reach Alexandria."

"You wish me to-"

"What did I say?"

"Sorry, my master." I withdrew and quickly walked to my room.

My room had very little furnishings, only a small bed… a cot, I believe it is called, in one of its corners, a small table and chair in the center of the room, and an old bookshelf with even older books. One of the books laid open upon the table. It was the last book within my collection that I hadn't yet read. It was entitled "In a Life's End." The book described what is believed to happen when one dies. I sat down in the chair and began to read where I had stopped. It stated:

Towards the beginning of death, one would see all of their memories pass before their very eyes.

It only took that one line to stop me.

Memories… All of my memories were with my master… 

_Hadn't I ever done anything without him ordering me to do it?_

_Or… was I just his… puppet? _

_His tool of destruction?_

_The one required to kill his creator's creation…_

_My… brother…_

----Alexandria----

Vivi stood at the gates in the wide, cobbled streets of Alexandria. His head turning every which way to try and catch some indication that Puck was there with him. The small Black Mage sighed, just only realizing that his friend was in Burmecia, helping his people come to terms with their ruined city, Cleyra. Vivi began to turn back toward the castle when he heard a high pitched voice.

"Vivi, there you are. I thought you got lost again!"

"No, Eiko, I didn't," the small child whispered, wringing his hands.

"What are you doing out here? It's so late out," the even smaller girl said, beginning to shiver, "you can get sick, did you know that?"

"No…"

"Come on, let's get back to the castle, we were all getting worried sick."

"Sorry."

"That's alright… O, and Vivi."

"What, Eiko?"

"You're it!" she screams and runs down the alley leading directly to the castle.

Vivi smiles and follows after her, almost tripping along the way.

----Airship----

Garland stood at the control panel where one of the Black Mages was close at hand if and when Garland ever needed anything.

"We're so close to Alexandria now," he said to no one in particular, "I can smell the chaos and death we will cause." He sighed in sweet contempt. "You," he pointed at the Black Mage on hand, "go and get Kuja. Tell him that it's time." The mage bowed and quickly left.

----Kuja's room----

I was just staring at the book in disbelief when I heard a knock at my door. I knew that only the mages would knock since my master had no reason to.

"Enter," I sighed, already knowing why the mage would be here.

"Master Garland says it is time, Master Kuja." He turned and left, not even waiting for me. I sighed again and left my room, walking toward the unloading bay.

I was slightly curious to what my master had in mind when he declared war on Alexandria. I knew it didn't have much chance against us since Lindblum, its only ally, was already destroyed. Yet, I was curious about what my master intended to do after he captured Alexandria.

Since I had already taken Princess Garnet's eidolons, she was practically useless, why would Alexandria be a threat to him? And what of Zidane, could I really kill him?

I could feel the ship land. I stopped in front of the opening doors, watching the curtains draw back revealing the scene the scene that would lead to Alexandria's demise.

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A/N: Leave reviews, may they be good or bad. 


	2. A Slender Defiance

A/N: Sorry for not replying in a while, but I've been busy trying to contact an old friend. Thanks to the people who reviewed to my story, I hope more find it to their liking. Some people were annoyed and/or curious about the name of this fiction, and if you would like, why not leave a name with your review, and I will decide what fits best with this story, as you can tell, I have no clue on where it will go, but let's see if we can carve out a path for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its counterparts, nor do I own any of the characters that are likely to show up.

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**Chapter Two:**

**A Slender Defiance**

"If something is needed to be done, do it without hesitation," were the last words my master told me that fatal night.

_My only goal is to delay Zidane and the others at any cost, and not to harm my… canary. I will do as my master wishes._

The curtains folded back to reveal the green landscape surrounding Alexandria. A few weak creatures could be seen wandering aimlessly around the area. I walked out into the open; it had been so long since the last time the fresh scent of Alexandria whipped about my face. I stopped for a moment to revel in its perfection.

"Kuja," the voice of my master came from above, inside of the airship, "we don't have time for you to dawdle."

I turned towards the light blue ship and bowed deeply, showing him that I understood and hurried off towards the sleeping citadel.

----Alexandria----

Vivi, alone, stood searching for the small girl, Eiko. He had lost her when she took a quick corner he had missed in their game of tag back towards the castle. So he waited for Eiko to find him, since he knew she would be upset if he left without her. It would be better to be ridiculed by her for getting lost in their game, then to get her mad because she couldn't find him.

He looked about him to notice that he was back to where he started, towards the center of Alexandria, its big, looming gate over his hay hat. He turned around and faced the entrance and smiled into the night. No matter how scary the dark appeared to be, with his black magic, he could light up his way…at least until Eiko or another one of his friends could find him.

----Gate to Alexandria----

I walked into the dark city. Looking around for anything that could hamper my mission, but nothing moved. I walked farther down the long alley that leads to the Town Square. I slowly raised my gaze towards the square as a gush of wind passed me. I halted my advancement.

I could sense my master's presence hovering over the city. He was preparing to summon one of the Eidolons that he had me drain earlier. I did not know what creature he would summon from the black abyss, and as long as it didn't harm me or hamper my mission, than I didn't care.

The inhabitants of Alexandria also heard the noise coming from the airship. Men, women and children could be seen poking their heads out of windows, as well as running out into the streets to see the menace looming over their fair city.

Soon, as I know well, all of them would run like the cowards they are. Hoping, beyond hope, that their guards would stop all of their troubles; that they could cease the torture that my master would erect upon them all.

Yet that was to come, I still had to succeed in my mission. As I searched the streets of Alexandria, my eyes passed by a peculiar sight. A black mage, a most uncommon thing to be walking in such a large city, stood waiting for something.

The mage was dispensable, so he would be my target, I could only hope that this would suffice. I focused my powers onto the small mage. His brimmed hat slowly looking up to reveal his face to me, but all was too late. My spell went off without any trouble. The hat flew past me and into a now screaming crowd.

I felt no remorse for the dead mage. Even though he was only a creation, nothing amounting to a living mortal, yet be it mortal or not, I could feel nothing for it. I, myself, was created with no feelings of that genre.

The screaming city began its fall, as I took step after step. In front of me lay the town's center, and beyond that, the looming castle. By this time I could hear the descent of the guards. Another thing that I must destroy, no matter how trifling they were.

A small tent stood in the center of the town where the ticket seller would be to sell seats to some of the great shows Alexandria was known for. Now, the seller was gone, long since abandoning his post. People crowded around the tent as if it was a shelter from my powers.

"Run…" I mumbled, and then louder, "Run, people of Alexandria! Tell Zidane I search only for him!" A minor spell demolished the tent and some of its nearer occupants, as the rest struggled to run away, farther towards the castle. A minor wind caught my hair, and

I quickly pushed it back out of my eyes; the castle wasn't far off.

----Inside of the Castle----

Eiko had just barely made it back to the castle when the mayhem became too much. She couldn't find Vivi, and that had her worried. She was running through the halls, something she knew wouldn't be acceptable, but it was important. She had seen him. The one called Kuja was here, trying to destroy Zidane! She couldn't let that happen.

She quickly dashed through the halls towards the chambers she knew they'd be in. Throwing the doors open, she screamed the first thing that came to her head.

"Vivi's gone and Kuja's here!" She thought it would work, but she said it far too fast so the words were lost to the commotion of people quickly standing up.

"What did you say, Eiko?" the Princess asked, leaning forwards a little.

"I said that Vivi's gone, and Kuja's here," she repeated herself, partly annoyed.

"Kuja?" they all gasped.

"Do I have to repeat myself again?" she placed her hands on her hips, daring them to ask again.

"What does he want?" Zidane finally managed to ask.

"He wants you… but we aren't going to give up easily!" she screamed back.

"It might be best if we did give him up," Steiner said. "Even if just for a little while…"

"No, no give him up!" Quina protested.

"We couldn't," the others with a better vocabulary, said.

"My princess," he turned towards her, continuing, "you must understand. If he stays here, than Kuja will kill everyone trying to find him. We shouldn't leave him to Kuja alone, but we cannot stay here. What of the people?"

"Yes… you are right, Steiner. We will go with you, Zidane."

"Hey, I don't need all of you guys standing up for me, I can handle myself," Zidane says, beating one hand on his chest.

"Do you think I'd miss a fight?" Amarant stated, boldly.

"Aw, and I didn't think you cared, Amarant," Zidane smiled. He only rolled his eyes.

"But where is Master Vivi?" Steiner asked, looking around the room.

"Yes, wasn't he with you, Eiko?" Garnet asked, looking intently at the small, horned girl.

"He… was… but he got lost again, and we need to find him. Who knows what trouble he's gotten himself into?"

"Alright, we'll have to find him before we confront Kuja," Zidane said, pounding his fist into his open hand.

Everyone nodded their agreement and they all began their walk out of the castle, and in to the chaos that only Kuja could have created.

----Alexandria's Ruins----

I had waited for Zidane and his comrades to come; yet they did not heed my call. I slowly walked towards the castle, bringing destruction and mayhem to whom ever stood in my path.

The guards protecting the vile mortals were slain first, followed by more of the town's people. One after the other they fell before me. By this time, my spells were beginning to affect me, draining me the more I casted. I could not relent though; I had to reach my targets.

As I carved my path, I noticed another degrading mage, hiding amongst the commoners. I didn't make my mages for this abomination's cowardice. With a flick of my hand, the mage was sent flying, but I could still sense his life. How could he still be alive? It didn't make sense, but I couldn't linger on such a sniveling creature, one last spell would finish him, and many of the people around him.

I focused my tiring energy into my palm. A drop of cold liquid slid down my back. Another drop landed near my eye as I slowly looked up, the physical power of my spell forming into my hand. Zidane and his canary… _no… my canary_… with all of their friends came running at that moment. My body already facing them, I looked fully at them, as the raindrop mimicked a tear, and slid down my face.

I cocked my head towards the black mage and the other people. Zidane slowly looked to where I had motioned. It seemed a whimper came from him.

"How uncharacteristic," I said, still facing him, and only him. "You have shown me a valuable weakness, my brother."

"I am not your brother! Now, leave those people alone!" was his obnoxious scream back.

I allowed my hand to flick, as the spell was released, a direct hit on the mage and his crowd.

"Vivi!" the small girl near Zidane screamed.

When his name was screamed, I pulled the spell at the last minute. It had already done much damage, but it wouldn't kill him. I only wanted to delay, not kill, Zidane and his companions, I didn't care about any of the rest. I had other plans that they needed to follow through with.

I stood straight up, allowing more of the water to hit me, showing them that I had no fear. Zidane in his blind fury, charged me, without think of any traps I might of set earlier on our playing field.

As his foot hit a cracked pavestone, it transmuted itself into a voluptuous pound of slime. Sticking him fast, the slime grabbed hold of more of his foot. His other companions were slow in moving, but they now began to draw their weapons. I had traps prepared for them as well.

I allowed myself to stand comfortably as they began their charge. The slime still swarming around Zidane's leg, split itself into dagger like spikes, and intertwined itself into my foes paths. Their legs were grabbed and either forced together, or far apart.

The slime wouldn't hurt them in any way, but it would do it's intention, as long as I could keep a hold of the spell, no harm would come to them. I smiled at them, took a single ostentatious bow, and began to take my leave. I needed nothing more from them, not for the moment at least.

As I was spinning, a ball of darkness hit and swarmed around my head for a moment. Automatically, I placed my hand to where the Demi spell had landed. The soft feel of blood rested on my hands, the headache that the spell caused, already forming. I turned to face its caster.

The mage that they called Vivi, was standing, injured but standing. I glared at my creation, there was little more that I could do until the spell cleared itself from my head. The mage began to prepare another spell, Firaga, it appeared. The mage wasn't that good, his moves were obvious while he casted.

As the spell left his hands, aimed right for me, I countered it with a Blizzaga. My spell proved the more powerful, as his spell was disintegrated in the ice, and the ice moved to strike at him. As my spell moved closer, the armor clad buffoon jumped in its way. He still took the damage from the spell, but it just saved the small mage's life.

I looked at the others, trapped with in my slime, they, too, were almost free. The mage had given them enough time, and assistance, as I could smell burned slime, to allow them to free themselves.

"Alright, Vivi!" Zidane screamed his appreciation. "Now, Kuja, we'll win! So just stop this!" He turned towards me, his doubled bladed sword pointed at me.

"Do you believe I am outnumbered, Zidane? Where my loss is a sure thing? Where my loss possiblyeven means your victory?" I said, looking at him.

"What do you mean by that Kuja," his princess asked, her fear not showing in her voice.

"If you seek to be enlightened, my canary, then just look towards the heavens."

I had said it without thinking, yet it gave them all the understanding. Their eyes quickly left me as my master's air ship slowly propelled itself across the sky. It's red eye glowing menacingly. My mast was going to summon Bahamut, but it would take time for him to fully get its energies under his will.

If I didn't leave soon, then I would go in the blast as well. That was the last thing that I wanted. If my enemies were going to stand and gawk at the machine, then let them. I delayed them, as I found necessary.

I bowed, even though none of them had noticed, I turned on my heel and began to take my leave.

"What is that, Kuja?" Zidane asked quickly, taking a step forwards now that he was free from the slime.

I didn't stop walking, but only looked over my shoulder and whispered.

"Bahamut"

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A/N: For those that don't know, Bahamut is the second strongest summon in the game. A summon is a powerful force brought on by one of the great summoners (i.e. Eiko or Garnet). 


	3. A Fateful Gathering

A/N: Sorry that it's been so long since I've updated, a lot has been going on with school starting up and my computer frying for a few months. So, here's the third installment of Kujata's Kuja, with its new title as Angel of Death and Mercy!

**Chapter Three: **

**A Fateful Gathering**

"Victory is only a few more steps, Kuja," my master told me as I entered the airship.

"Victory, as like beauty, my master, is in the eye of the beholder," I spat back, throwing one of his little riddles back in his face.

"Not now, Kuja. I have no time for your little games."

"Yes, my master," I said, calmly.

_It is only considered _my _little game when you aren't in the mood to act the part._

I turned to watch Bahamut's assault on Alexandria. As I watched the scene unfold, something quite unexpected began to take place. A creature had erupted from the castle itself, one of greatest magnitude. Bahamut looked only like a spec compared to its massive form. The creature wasn't familiar to me, but it was to my master.

"Dear God," he swore, "how could they release that?" I assumed he was speaking to me.

"Master, what do you mean? What is it?" I mumbled, not expecting an answer.

"Kuja, shut up, I don't have time to explai-" he was cut off by the sound of a loud explosion coming from the creature. My eyes had never left the silvery being.

Its brilliant wings flung out and shielded Alexandria from Bahamut's petty blast. As the wings slowly unfolded, a new blast, one from the otherworldly being, erupted through the air. The white blast went straight through and past my master's Eidolon, easily destroying him. The blast ended some ways above our ship, almost destroying it, too.

"Damn!" he screamed, grabbing for something to steady himself. I, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. I tried to grab on to the control panel, but I missed it and slid across the floor. I don't know what had hit me… but blackness met me.

----Some Time Later----

My head was spinning, and it felt as if I had lain bleeding for some time. I slowly sat up, but that proved to be a bad idea. My head spun even more, as my eyes were forced closed again.

----Hours Later----

I opened my eyes, revealing my own chambers. I slowly moved to sit up, this time not passing out again. My master wasn't any where to be seen, which caused me to smile softly.

_I shouldn't have expected him here. He only looks at me like I'm a simple creation… or in his latest words, his biggest mistake… his failure._

I sighed, and slowly stood up, wincing painfully. My side felt like fire erupting from the pits of hell. I held my side, only then noticing that it was tightly wrapped. As I lifted one of my slender hands to my face I saw blood oozing down my palm.

_God…am I going to die? Here and now, alone? That would be how my master would want me to go… I suppose. Alone and out of his way… so he wouldn't have to see his failure anymore._

I examined the wound more closely. It wasn't as threatening as I had thought, but it could still force me to lose my life. I summoned one of my own creations, the Black Mages, and had it clean out the wound and rebind it.

I left my room after that, hoping that I left the dizziness as well. I traveled down the hall towards the study where my master normally spent his free time. The paneled door opened at my whim, and the room was dark, save for a single light lit in a corner.

"Enter, Kuja," he said from the corner.

I walked in, seeing my master sitting in his favorite chair, something I thought quite uncomfortable. His legs were crossed at the knees, and his elbows rested on the arms of the chair. His fingers were steeped in front of his face, leaning in towards me.

"Explain what happened in Alexandria for me," he ordered smoothly.

"There isn't much to explain, master. I fought Zidane and his… friends. They didn't pose much of a threat to me, or your plan, master…" I didn't know where this was leading.

"I don't care about whether you fought well against them or not. What I _do_ care about is how and _why_ my plan was completely foiled thanks to two summoners!" His hands clenched, but besides that, he didn't move.

"They completely ruined your scheme, master?" I asked, sitting into a different chair.

His fingers tapped together twice, he was beginning to lose his patience. "Explain what went wrong, Kuja."

"Nothing interesting, master, I delayed them as you order-"

"Delay? I ordered you to kill them, you stupid fool!" he stood up quickly and backhanded me. My head only turned from the force, I had been prepared for this casual form of discipline. "Why didn't you kill them?" he asked a little more calmly.

_What more would you have me do, master? If I struck out against him you would only yell at me for killing off one of your creations, yet if I fell back early you yell at me for your plans being ruined. _

"Master, if I stayed any longer than I would have been caught in Bahamut's blast as well," I couldn't think of any other way of defending myself that wouldn't seem weak in my master's eyes.

"So, you ran like a coward?" he didn't seem to expect an answer. "You were so worried about yourself that you couldn't even do what I told you to do? You are worthless, and pathetic, Kuja, a true failure." I sat in silence.

_There is no pleasing you, master, there was never a chance for me to please you._

"I have no more time for you destroy my plans, Kuja! You will return to your palace. You may only leave when I come for you, do I make myself clear?"

I stood up, as gracefully as I could and took my rudimentary bow. "Yes, my master," was all that slipped out of my mouth.

I turned on my heel, heading back to my room. The only time I slowed down was when I had to wait for the doors to open in front of me.

----Alexandria----

Zidane wiggled his tail slightly as his group met back in the castle. They had begun trying to clean some of the mess up. He sat down, allowing his tail to fall to one side, nearly touching the floor.

Garnet looked at him from across the table, "The people are all ready to begin rebuilding."

"So, we're no longer needed?" Zidane asked.

Garnet shook her head, "No, why do you ask?"

"We need to stop Kuja, but we don't know where to look," Zidane said to everyone.

"Last we saw of him, he was heading east, towards the desert in his airship," Regent Cid said from somewhere amongst the table.

"What would he being doing there?" Garnet said, facing the little bug.

"Does it matter?" Amarant asked, walking out the door and into the hall.

"So, next stop the desert!" Zidane yelled to them all.

A/N: The next chapter is called An Undesired Decision. I can't promise when the next chapter will be done since a friend and I are working on a new story of our own devise. Maybe if you ask real nice, I'll see if I can place it up somewhere….


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